Lamp construction



May 22, 1928. 1,670,801

H. c. FOSTER LAMP CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 14, 1924 30 INVENTOR. Z7 lmekr Ct Fosriz.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented MayjZZ, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,670,801 PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. FOSTER, OF CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS QF ONE-HALF TO GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, OF DETROIT,

MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE, AND ONE-HALF TO INDIANA LAMP,

CORPORATION, OF CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA, CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

LAMP CONSTRUCTION.

v Application filed. August 14, 1924. Serial No. 782,030. I

Thisinventionrelates to a lamp structure, and more particularly the means for securing the door or closure to the casing of the lamp.

There has been a problem in lamp structures to provide a suitable door fastening means which may be made ata minimum cost to secure the door in place under suflicient spring tension, whereby it will resiliently bear against the packing ring for preventing dust and moisture from entering, and permit'the same to be readily removable. The usual hinge and clasp structure has been found to be too expensive and the type now commonly used wherein the annula r door rim or closure is rotated into locking position, while permitting production at low cost, is very difficult for the user to remove when necessary. For these reasons the present structures are not satisfactory.

The main feature of this invention resides in the construction of the securing means for the door rim wherein it will overcome the diiiiculties above noted and at the same time have the advantages. The invention consists in providing spring members of appreciable strength and spring tension over which the door rim may be engaged at the top for permitting said door rim to be drawn against the casing at the bottom, overcoming the tension of said'members and be secured at the bottom in position.

By reason of this invention there is no expensive hinging of the door, while at the same time the door may be released and opened in substantially the same manner as though it were hinged. Furthermore, the

spring members will maintain the door under spring tension and contact with the lens and sealing ring in the usual'manner.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

In-the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lamp embodying this invention; Figure 2 is a central vertical cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view taken in the direction indicated by the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4: is a section taken on the line H of Figure 1;.and

Figure 5 is a modified form showing an-- other means for securing the door in closed position. I

In'the drawings there is shown theusual door or closure rim 10 and lens 11. rim'10 is adapted to be mounted upon the lamp casing 12 which contains the usual reflector 13, there being a packing ring 14 of the usual cord type positioned betweenan annular recess in the forward part'of the reflector and the rearsurface-of the lens 11. Secured within the casing 12 there are inwardly extending flanges or brackets 15 against which a portionof the reflector abuts The."

for maintaining it in position at the front of the casing.

The forward peripheral edge'of the easing 12 is turned inwardly for making a bead 16 in which are nested the ends of a spring member 17. The springmember, as shown herein, is formed of springwire and is provided with two arms 18 which extend rearwardly from the forward edge of the casing and terminate in an upwardly projecting U-sha e portion 19, said portion 19 projecting t rough a U-shape slot 20 cut in the periphery of the casing adjacent the-forward edge thereof. The formation of the U-shape slot 20 is such that it leaves a tongue from dropping out of place and maintain the U-shape portion '19 in position above the outer surface of the casing. As shown herein there is-provided one of said spring members on each'side of the vertical plane through the lamp,'as illustrated in Figure 1. The lower side of thecasing, as shown in Figure 4, has a portion stamped outwardly to provide a seat 22 fora spiral spring 23 which surrounds a latching rod or plunger 24 extending through said seat. The rear end of the rod is shown provided with a washer 25 and a cotter pin for holding the spring in place, and the forward end thereof is provided with a: latch or hook member26 and finger piece or handle 27. The latch member 26 is adapted to hook over a latch bar 28 secured to theunderside of the door rim 10.

I As shown in Figure 5, the lower portion of the door rim is secured inplace by means of a screw bolt 29, which extends through 21 which will prevent the spring spring pressed member 31 comprises a metalstrength and tension which will act in a member bent at right angles having one por tion extending through a small slot 32 in the casing 112, whilethe other end extends through a suitable opening in the flange 116 of said casing; Said member has a stamped out portion to provide an ear which will limit its rearward movement by engagement with the flange 116 of the casing, and is provided with a spiral spring 1:23 mounted thereon which abuts against the inner side of said flange at one end and against extended portions 34 on the spring pressed member. It will be obvious that as the screw 29 is screwed into the member 31, it will cause said member to slide in the slot 3-2 and draw it toward the door, compressing the spring 123, which in turn will exert a spring tension under which the door and easing will be drawn together. i

The normal positions of the spring members 17 are such that the U-sr1ape portions thereof are resiliently pressed against the 1 rear ends of the U-shape slot 20, through which they extend. When it is desired to mount the door rim upon the casing, it being assumed that the lens 11 is supported in the usual manner, either upon the door rim or upon the reflector, the upper portion of the rim is first placed over the front edge of the casing so that the rear edge of said rim engages just behind the U-shape portions 19 of said spring members. The lower portion of the door rim is then brought downwardly and over the lower portion of the casing, such movement causing the rim to engage the spring members and force them forwardly, with the upper portion of the sealing ring 14: and adjacent reflector as a fulcrum. When the rim has been pulled down so as to embrace the lower portion of the casing as well as the upper portion,

the latch member is pulled outwardly against the pressure of the spring 23 and caused to engage the latching bar 28. I The spring members 17 and the spring 23 will thereby cause the door to be drawn tightly in place against the sealing ring 1 1- under springtension.

If it is desired to use the locking means shown in Figure 5, the same effect may be had tightly screwing up the screw bolt 29, pressure being exerted against the spring 123 thereby. It is obvious that in removing the door, the release of the latch 26 or the screw bolt 29 will permit the door rim to be pulled outwardly, after which it may be lifted upwardly and onto]? engagement with the spring members.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the two principal features of the invention reside in the simple structure of the device which will readily permit production at a minimum cost, while at the same time providing spring members of appreciable plane perpendicular to the plane of the door so that the door will be pulled directly against the casing under the maximum tension of the spring members.

I claim:

1. in a with a casing having a slot in the periphery thereof and a closure therefor, of means for securing said closure in position thereon,

comprising a spring member having a pair of arms seated within and against the forward edge oi said casing and a central portion extending through saidslot so as to provide a resilient projection extending outwardly from said casing in position to be engaged by said closure'and forced forward under spring tension upon said closure being positioned upon the casing, a spring pressed member movable at right angles to the closure on the opposite side of said casing, and means for detachably connecting the member to the adjacent portion of said closure. 7 V

2. in a lamp structure, the combination with a casing having a slot in the periphery lamp structure, the combination thereof and a closuretherefor, of means for I securing said closure in' position thereon, comprising a spring member having springing arms, the ends of which are held in engagement with said casing, the central portion of said spring member being formed U- shaped and projecting outwardly'from said casing throughsaid slotand capable of being .yieldinglycompressed toward the front of said casing, the projecting portion of said spring being so positioned as to be capable of being engaged by said closure rim and normally preventing the opposite side of said closure rim from embracing said casing, and a latching member mountedon the opposite side of said casing from saidspring member in position to engage said closure rim when forced into embracing position on said casing and maintaining the same thereon against the tension of said spring memside thereof, an angular plate having an arm slidable in said opening and the other arm projecting through-the lamp casing, a spring interposed between the flange and the plate, and a member carried by the closure for detachable connection with the projecting arm; substantially as described.

4:. Ina device of the character described,

a lamp casing and a closure having their f rims overlapping, a reflector in the lamp cask ing, a flange projecting inwardly at the rim of the lamp casing and having an opening therein at one side of the casing, a yieldable and detachable connection between the closure and casing at the other side thereof, a plate slidable through said opening and hav ing a projection extending outside the casing, a spring interposed between said flange and the plate, and a detachable connection between the proj stantially as described. I

5. In a device of the character described, a lamp casing and a closure having their rims overlapping, a reflector in the lamp casing, a flange projecting inwardly at the rim of the lamp casing and having an opening therein at one side of the casing, a yieldable and detachable connection between the closure and easing at the other side thereof, a plate slidable through said opening and having a threaded projection outside the easing, a spring interposed between said flange and the plate, and a screw rotatably carried by the closure and threaded in said pro-. jection; substantially as described.

6. In a device of the character described, a lamp casing member and a closure member having their rims overlapping, a reflector in the lamp casing, a yieldable and detachable connection between the closure member and lamp casing member at one side thereof, a

ection and the closure; sub- 7 spring pressed plate carried by one of said members at the other side thereof, and a screwrotatably carried by the other member and threaded in said plate; substantially as described.

7. In a device of the character described,

a lamp casing and a glass holding casing v having their rims overlapping one another, a reflector in the lamp casing, a detachable connection between the two casings at one side thereof, a member slidable through one of the casings at the other side thereof and having one end exposedon the outside of the lamp assembly, a detachable connection between said end of the member and the other of said casings, and a spring for yieldably pressing the member towards its casing.

8. In a device of the character described, a lamp casing, a reflector mounted therein, a glass holding casing having its rim enclosing the rim of the lamp casing, a yieldable detachable connection between the two casings at one side thereof, and a spring pressed member slidable in the lamp casing and having one end exposed on the exterior thereof and a detachable connection between said end of the member and said glass holding casing at the other side thereof. I

I In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HARRY C. FOSTER. 

